1222 REPORT—1885. 
The stone circles of Aberdeenshire, over thirty in all extant, are spread across 
the county, but the author's observatiors are confined mainly to the group in the 
parish of Deer. 
They extend over a wide area, appearing now singly, now in groups. For 
long there would appear to have been no disturbing cause affecting their removal, 
but since the impulse given to agriculture some sixty to seventy years ago, this 
destruction has been lamentably frequent. 
_ As to the arrangement: Putting aside the isolated circles, it may be stated 
that they arrange themselves generally in a group of three, as in the case of 
Newton, Lonmay, &c. The great exception to this is the large group of circles in 
the parish of Deer, or Old Deer, as it is now generally called, comprising an area of 
25,711 acres imperial, or about 40 square miles. This group consists of seven circles 
more or less complete. It occupies the centre of the large district of Buchan, or 
north-eastern division of Aberdeenshire. The circles, including those still subsisting 
in part as well as those now extinct, stretch in a line almost due north and south, 
ten miles in length, from Strichen on the north border of the parish, to the hill of 
Skelmuir on the south. They are all of the same character, with a single exception, 
and placed on the summit of one or other of the secondary knolls, not generally 
exceeding 350 feet, which diversify the surface of the parish. A certain regularity 
attaches to their position, indicating design on the part of those who erected them, 
while an examination of them singly, in reference to their contiguity, proves that 
the chain was so constructed that each link was visible from the nearest, and also 
that thus by a zigzag glance communication was established from one to the 
other. This assertion has been verified by actual and careful observation. 
As to the measurements of the circles generally: Taking seventeen of the most 
complete in the county, it is found the average diameter is 54 feet, number of stones 
that composed the circle 12, average height of the largest individual stones 7 feet, 
distance between the monoliths 133 feet. Im the case of all save three of the 
circles the altar-stone is on the south meridian, but in the exceptions it faces the 
N.E. Of the extant and comparatively complete circles, the one at Ailkybrae or 
Parkhouse, and the other at Strichen, have a similar arrangement and character. 
Both altar-stones have their top flattened with a slope towards the east, and are 
fixed in position by two stones in the shape of wedges on either side, but not. 
opposite, having an opening underneath sufficient to admit of a thong or cord being 
passed. The altar-stone in the Parkhouse one is specially mentioned by Colonel 
Forbes Leslie, and its size given as length 144 feet, breadth 54, and depth 43 feet, 
its gross weight exceeding 21 tons. A third circle, that known as the Loudon- 
wood circle, differs from the Parkhouse one, 24 miles distant, in the matter of the 
altar-stone and side altar-stones, though not in the enclosing stones. The altar- 
stone is not flat but ridgy, while each of the side-stones seen in profile towards it 
presents a very perfect crescent or curve, which, extended on both ends until they 
met, would form a pretty perfect circle with its centre in the middle of the altar- 
stone. It is evident that this was no haphazard arrangement, but one of purpose, 
be that purpose what it may. There is one other circle in the group so different 
from the others that it demands special notice, viz., the White Cow circle. Here 
there is no recumbent or altar-stone, but the circle is formed of small irregular 
stones placed close together and in most cases half buried in heath. In the centre, 
or rather on the corner of the N.E. quadrant, if we divide the circle by lines from 
N, to 8. and E. to W. passing through the centre, is placed a dolmen, the table 
stone of which, once supported by five stones, one on the E., two on the N., with 
two on the S., has been lowered at the open end by the forcible remoyal of one of 
its northern supports. As the direction of the table-stone seemed not to be 
towards any cardinal point of the compass, I resolved to ascertain its actual 
position, and careful observation has brought out the important fact that a line 
drawn along the centre lengthwise from W. to E., and projected to the horizon, 
would strike it as near as may be at 47° north of E., or at the rising of the sun on 
Midsummer Day. The latitude of Deer being 57° 34’ N., sunrise on Midsummer 
Day would occur at about 47° 41’ north of E. ; 
The multiplication of these stone circles, and specially in the north-eastern part 
